Automobile fender drace



July 22 1924. KEQZZSQ A. A. RIBLETT AUTOMOBILE FENDER amen Filed ug. 14, 1923 Patented July 22, 1924 N ET ALBERT A BXBLETT, O'F BUBKBURNETT, TEAS.

AUTOMOBILE FENDER BRAGE Application filed August 14, 197. Serial. 1%. 851338.

To (LN 10,"? o n 1 'il '2; m concern 3 Be it known that 1, Answer a. Rinuirr, a citizen of the ljnitcot States, residing at Buihhurnatt, in the county of 'Wichita and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovcinents in Automobile Fender Braces, of which the following is a spccification.

This invei'ition relates to improvements in fender braces and has for its principal objects the provision of bracing constructions which will effectively prevent vibration and sagging of the fenders, incident to the open alion of vehicles; to provide bracing cnstructions which may he detachahly secured to the opposite, side fenders of vehicles for reinforci! the same, and which are further reinforced hr helm: rlctachahly scoured to the which; ifrauicsr and to provide adjust ahle iii-airing consi motions which will be easy and SlUJPlC lO install on vehicles without the necessity of niutilating visible parts; and which may quickly he removed therefrom without having marred any portions of the vehicles.

Further objects and advantages will be ap parent during the course of the following detailed description In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure i is a front elevation of a vehicle, showing the ini irorcd fender brace as applied to the front fenders thereof and the manner in which the brace is dctachably soourcd to the frame of? the vehicle.

Figure is a detail perspec ive view of the fender brace detached from a vehicle, and showing in dotted lines the manner in. which the brace may he elongated for ease of attachment.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional View taken through a tender show ing a portion of the improved fender brace clamped thereon.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail perspec tive of a supporting element forming a part of the loracc- Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view ot a clamping member used as a part of th's invention.

6 is a i'zagiiiimtarv wowir the 111211321 of the civic i cross scctii-inal fihlfih several nted toget-h r.

' In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration but the preferred embodiment of my invention is shown, the lcitcr A generally designates a vehicle; and B, an inn proved fender brace construction including a pair of arms C, a connecting iink D clamp member E, and supporting legs F.

The vehicle A, may be of any approved type,.including a front cross member 10, said member being a part of the chassis or frame of the car and including an element such as an engine support or hanger 10 secured thereto and intermediate theciids thereof, a radiator 11 and side fenders 12 and 13 on opposite sides of the radiator 11. These fenders 12 and 13 are of ordinary construction, each including the convcxlv formed guard 14, said guard being provided with an outer marginal flange 15, a Web or head 16, and an inner flange 17 from which extends the inclined portion 18 of the fender con struction which is attached in the usual manner to the frame or chassis of the vehicle A.

Referring now to thobracing construction B which is adapted to extend transversely of the vehicle A and brace and reinforce the fenders 12 and 155, it includes a pair of arms C each having a bar portion 19, preferably formed of hand metal, said arms each being provided at their outer ends with tender engaging portions 20 which are adapted to overlie the. top surface of the convex guard portion 14. of the tenders i2 and 1.3, the extreme outer ends 21 being hoot shaped in formation and adapted to extend inwardly and beneath the marginal flange 15. To prevent the brace B from movement longitudinally of the vehicle A, a slot 22 may lie proided in each WElJ or head 16 through which the hooked ends 21, may extend and hold the brace B in its proper position. These fender engaging portions 20 are disposed in a substantiall v horizontal plane, while the bar portions it are twisted, as at- :23, so as to extend across the front of the radiator 11 in a plane at right anples to the fender engaging portions 20. nterrnediate the fender engaging portions 20 and the twisted portions 23 are .rovidcrl horizontal portions 24 having per orations 25 therein.

The arms C are pivotally connected adjacent the inner ends thereof to the connecting strip or link by suitable pivotal con-- noctions E26 and 27, each arm pivoted independent of other the pirotal LOEEE9C' tic-us res-1;; in spe ed spurt relation, so that when rotary in out imparted to the lw'i'lllg' linl: i), the arms (I will be act-uni'ui unrl the booked ends 91 moved into or out of engagement with the flanges 15 along the marginal edg, of the fenders 12 and 1:3. Adjacent the ends of the link are provided perforations 28 which, when. the arms C are in a. retracted position will register with corresponding perforations 29 in the arms 0, thru which pins 30 may be inserted in order to secure or lock the arms G in a, retracted position and prevent rotary movement thereof.

The clamping vlips Fl, preferably made of sheet or band metal. are adapted to be disposed beneath the horizontal portions 2% of the arms L, said clips each comprising a bod portion provided with n transverse aperture or perforation 32, the one end of said body portion being upturned or flanged us at 33. These clumping clips E may each be detnchably secured beneath the horizontul portions '20 by means of suitable bolt 34 and a nut so that the inner fender flange 17 will brsecurely clamped between the body portion 31 and the horizontal ortion 24, thereby aiding in holding the enders 12 and 13 in firm position with respect to each other and with respect to the brace construction B. The flange portion 33 of the clip E is adapted to abut the twisted portion 23, of its respective arnr C, as is clearly shown in Figure 3 of thedrawing, so that when the nut 35 is'threaded onto the bolt 34, the body portion 31 will be held spaced from the horizontal portion 21 and a good clamping action efi'ected.

Referrir now to the su porting legs F, they preferably are pivotal y connected Oil-s to the bar portion 19 of each arm C and intermediate the ends thereof. These legs, which may also be formed of band metal, extend downward from the arms C and may be provided at their free ends with inverted U-shaped feet 36, said feet preferably being formed by providing a central longitudinal slit in each of the eggs F and bending so as to provide a pair of spaced lugs 37 and a connection 38. When the bracing ionstruction B is adjusted onto a vehicle A, these legs F ordinarily extend from the arms C in converging relation so that the feet 36 engage the cross rail 10 and abut the outer ends of the engine hanger 10 which will hold them in spaced relation and prevent sliding movement thereof, thereby aiding in supporting and retaining the brace in its proper position.

l-Vhcn it is desired to attach a fender brace construction such has been do scribed to a vehicle, the connecting link .i) is swung so as to be in a vertical plane as is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 9. of the drawings, thereby materially lengthening the arms C as is clearly shown. The legs F are then adjusted so that the feet 36 will engage the cross rail 1.0 of the vehicle A, the hooked ends 21 of the arms C snapped or inserted under the marginal flanges 16 of the fenders 12 and 13, the clamping clips E bolted or secured in place, and the connecting link I) rotated, thereby drawing the fenders toward each other and into their proper position and forcing the feet36 into clamping engagement with the cross rail 10. When the perforations in the arm D align with the perforations in the arms C, the pins 30 may be inserted which will successfully retain the arms C in extended horizontal position.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that a fender bracing construction has been provided which is simple and easy to manufacture, and which will effectively hold the side fenders of a vehicle in their proper position, in addition to rendering them IIIOIG- Ilgld, thereby eliminating practically all vibration and sagging.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without deperi from the spirit of the same and scope of the claim.

I claim:

A bracing device for th front fenders of an automobile, said bracing device comprising a horizontally disposed brace structure having its outer end portions provided with fender engaging means, and a pair of de pending supporting legs connected with the brace structure and each having its lower free end provided with a depending finger for engaging the front face of a permanent portion of the automobile, the lower end of the supporting legs being further pro vided with a rearwnrdly extending arm for resting upon the upper face of the permanent portion of the automobile and terminating in a dcpendin finger for engaging the rear face of he said permanent. portion of the automobile.

ALBERT A. RIBLETT. 

